In this week’s Travel SOS, we offer some suggestions to Paula who wants to know whether it’s cheaper to book her shore excursions via her cruise operator or locally in a port.
Q. Paula
My husband and I are going on a Viking Cruise in July. My brother-in-law suggested that we don’t book the tours through Viking, but rather organise them when we get to a port, as the tours are way too over priced through the cruise company. Can you please give us some advice?
A. Thanks to the internet, it’s easy to compare the cost of tours locally and what is charged by your cruise operator, but you must be careful to compare apples with apples.
Some of the tours may differ slightly, or not offer the same inclusions. You can find details of the trips offered by Viking on its website. Once you have highlighted the tours in which you’re interested, you can check with the local tourist centre in each destination what’s on offer.
There are a few things you should, however, note:
1. Cruise operators can sometimes offer experiences not available through regular tourist offices.
2. If you opt to book your own tour and return late form the excursion, the ship is not obliged to wait for you.
3. Your time at a destination may be limited, so do you want to spend part of it trying to book a tour?
I hope you have a fabulous time. We’ve heard great things about Viking cruises, and we’re sure you’ll enjoy no matter what you choose to do.
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